The Director-General/Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian Technical Aid Corps (NTAC), Rt. Hon. Yusuf Buba Yakub, has charged 21 Nigerian professionals being deployed to Uganda to uphold Nigeria’s high values of excellence, professionalism, discipline and patriotism, stressing that they are going out not merely as Nigerians but as representatives and ambassadors of the country.
The DG gave the charge on Monday, 5 October 2026, during the briefing, orientation and send-off ceremony for the 21 volunteers in Abuja, ahead of their deployment to Uganda for two-year technical service assignments under the Technical Aid Corps programme.
Rt. Hon. Yusuf Buba Yakub reminded the volunteers that their conduct and professional contributions would shape the perception of Nigeria in their host communities, urging them to conduct themselves in ways that would make the country proud.
“You are going out there as Nigeria, not only as Nigerians, because what people will see when you are out there in the school, in the hospital, in your offices or on the streets of Uganda, they will be seeing Nigeria in you. You are going there to serve humanity, impact knowledge and provide services to our brothers and sisters. I therefore encourage you to carry the Nigerian flag proudly and conduct yourselves in a way that will make our country proud.”
He urged the volunteers to approach their assignments with humility, discipline, adaptability and a spirit of sacrifice, noting that volunteer service could expose them to conditions different from what they were accustomed to in Nigeria.
The NTAC helmsman also emphasised the importance of excellence in service, urging the volunteers to deploy their expertise diligently and leave a positive and lasting impact on their host institutions and communities.
According to him, NTAC, established in 1987 under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs as an instrument of Nigeria’s soft power diplomacy, has remained a significant vehicle for sharing Nigerian expertise with developing countries across Africa, the Caribbean and the Pacific.
He disclosed that the programme had, over the past 38 years, deployed more than 12,000 Nigerian experts to over 40 countries, while about 1,500 volunteers had been deployed within the first three years of the present administration.
The DG said the Technical Aid Corps programme was a practical demonstration of Nigeria’s commitment to South-South Cooperation, through which developing countries share their human resources, knowledge, skills and expertise for mutual development.
He further noted that the programme underscores Nigeria’s contribution to global development and the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals, stressing that Nigeria was not merely a beneficiary of international development assistance but also a contributor to the development of other nations.
Rt. Hon. Yusuf Buba Yakub also highlighted the Federal Government’s emerging initiative on the dignified international deployment of Nigerian skilled workers under negotiated employment arrangements that provide appropriate remuneration, protection and dignity.
He disclosed that Nigeria had recently signed an agreement with Jamaica for the deployment of about 400 Nigerian youths to work there for an agreed period, describing the initiative as part of efforts to create legitimate international employment opportunities for Nigerian youths while reducing the risks associated with irregular migration.
The DG further reminded the volunteers that NTAC would provide their salaries and allowances, while the host country would provide accommodation, utilities and transportation to their places of work.
Earlier, the representative of the Director of Programmes, Assistant Director of Programmes, Mr Akin Falusi, presented the 21 volunteers to the DG on behalf of the Directorate.
Mr Falusi described the volunteers as a distinguished group of highly qualified Nigerian professionals drawn from different parts of the country, noting that they had successfully undergone the required processes and were prepared to take up their respective assignments in Uganda.
He commended the leadership of NTAC for the support provided towards the successful deployment exercise and expressed confidence that the volunteers would make meaningful contributions to their host institutions while representing Nigeria creditably.
In his remarks, the Team Lead of the 21-member volunteer group, Professor Rilwanu Umar, expressed appreciation to NTAC for the opportunity to serve under the Technical Aid Corps programme.
Professor Umar, who disclosed that he had been associated with NTAC for more than a decade and had participated in several interviews and orientation exercises, commended the programme and expressed confidence in the processes guiding the current deployment.
He assured the Agency that the volunteers were united in their determination to give their best, work collectively and contribute meaningfully to the development of their host institutions and communities throughout their two-year assignment.
The 21 Nigerian professionals are expected to proceed to Uganda to commence their technical service assignments, where they will share their expertise and contribute to human and institutional development.
The Nigerian Technical Aid Corps remains committed to advancing Nigeria’s foreign policy objectives through technical cooperation, knowledge exchange, human capital development, South-South Cooperation and the deployment of Nigerian expertise to partner countries.
Signed:
Ojo Adetoun Olubunmi,anipr
Head, Information & Public Relations,
Nigerian Technical Aid Corps (NTAC)
5 October 2026
